Thread View: bit.listserv.lsoft-announce
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Started by Eric Thomas
Mon, 06 Jun 1994 20:28
LISTSERV migration plan
Author: Eric Thomas
Date: Mon, 06 Jun 1994 20:28
Date: Mon, 06 Jun 1994 20:28
229 lines
12655 bytes
12655 bytes
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In order to avoid cross-posting, this announcement is being posted to a
special mailing list generated from the combined membership of the
following lists:
LMAIL-L LMAIL-M LSOFT-ANNOUNCE LSTOWN-L LSTSRV-L LSTSRV-M
This mailing list is for announcements only. If you want to comment on
the announcement, please select a suitable list from the ones mentioned
above and send your reply to that address. If you have any question about
the announcement itself, please write to SUPPORT@LSOFT.COM. Thank you!
If you received multiple copies of this message, it means you are
subscribed to several of the above lists under different addresses. You
can find out which address you are subscribed under by sending a 'QUERY
listname' command. Contact the list owner if you need further assistance.
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*************************************************************************
************************ LISTSERV migration plan ************************
*************************************************************************
Table of contents:
1. Introduction
2. Recommended migration plan
3. Migration points
4. Step by step description
5. Important warning
For a quick overview, read 2, 4 and 5.
Note: the term "workstation system" in this document should not be taken
too literally. Larger VMS(TM) and unix(R) systems are also eligible.
****************
* Introduction *
****************
Many of our customers are faced with the necessity to migrate their
current LISTSERV services to a workstation within a certain time frame.
In some cases, this time frame is "here and now": the mainframe must be
gone by the end of the summer, and the only option is to relocate the
services before the machine is removed. For customers in this situation,
we offer a number of heavily discounted promotional packages for the
VMS(TM) and unix(R) versions of LISTSERV, which for everyday mailing list
management functions are nearly indistinguishable from the mainframe
version. See the separate price lists for more information.
In most cases, however, there is some flexibility in migrating the
services. Usually, there is a decision that the mainframe is to be phased
out over the next year or two, and minimizing end-user disruption is one
of the top priorities. Obviously, all mainframe upgrades and other major
purchases are frozen. Customers in this situation have a choice between
two strategies:
1. Migrate now, taking advantage of the introductory discounts and
immediately relieving the mainframe of the heavy mail load associated
with LISTSERV services. The drawback is a loss of functionality that
could have been avoided by waiting another 12-18 months before
performing the migration. Eventually, the users will recover the lost
functionality as the workstation versions are improved, but there will
be a "gap" of about a year during which services such as database and
file server functions will not be available. This is not likely to be
very popular with the users, and will certainly result in a higher
amount of calls to the support helpdesk.
2. Wait until the workstation versions have caught up with the mainframe
version, and find a way to keep up with the ever-increasing mail
traffic in the meantime. There will also be an additional cost, as the
mainframe version will have to be maintained for another year, and the
introductory discounts will not last that long.
Neither alternative is really satisfactory. To help its customers out of
this quandary, L-Soft is introducing a promotional migration offer that
delivers the best of both options.
******************************
* Recommended migration plan *
******************************
L-Soft recommends the following migration plan:
- Keep the services on the mainframe for another 12-18 months, so that
the users can continue to use the database and file server functions.
- Relocate the bulk of the mail traffic to a workstation right away.
Thanks to DISTRIBUTE, this is a simple matter requiring about 5 minutes
of configuration work: the server running on the mainframe will deliver
a single copy of the message to the workstation, which will then take
care of the bulk of the delivery. Since LISTSERV itself requires a very
moderate amount of resources, this will virtually eliminate the mail
burden. And, by purchasing your workstation license now, you take
advantage of the introductory prices.
- L-Soft will then offer to support both mainframe and workstation
licenses for the higher of the two maintenance costs. See below for the
exact conditions.
This migration plan lets you relieve your mainframe of the e-mail load
immediately, without disrupting the service or impacting your end users,
and without having to invest in licenses for a machine that will be
phased out shortly. Furthermore, having the code at the same level on
both machines makes it easier to migrate your services at the pace that
best fits your needs. For instance, you might have a number of simple
mailing lists for which neither database nor file server functions are
used. These can be migrated right away. As new functions are introduced
in the workstation versions, more lists can be migrated - and moved back
to the mainframe if it turns out that the users depended on a feature
they had forgotten to mention to you.
********************
* Migration points *
********************
For each dollar you spend on LISTSERV support (be it for the mainframe or
one of the workstation versions), you receive one migration point. Thus,
if you purchase one year of category II service for the VMS(TM) version
at list price, you pay $2,500.00 and receive 2500 migration points. You
also earn migration points with the various package offers; in that case,
the amount is indicated explicitly in the package description.
The migration points can then be spent to purchase support for the other
system (1pt = $1). Here are the long, formal conditions:
- Each migration point earned on any of the workstation versions gives
you a credit of $1 towards the purchase of 12 months of "Category II"
LISTSERV support for a single VM system.
- Each migration point earned on the VM version gives you a credit of $1
towards the purchase of 12 months of "Category II" LISTSERV support for
a single workstation system.
- You cannot use VM points on VM support, or workstation points on
workstation support, as this does not constitute a migration.
- You can add up the points from all your purchases, as long as you do
not mix workstation and mainframe points.
- This offer is limited to a single workstation support purchase plus a
single mainframe support purchase per customer. Excess points cannot be
redeemed.
- Migration points can only be applied to purchases made at list price.
They are not cumulative with any other discount, except academic
discount. In particular, you cannot use migration points to further
reduce the price of a package offer.
- You must use all your points before December 31, 1994. There will be no
compensation for unused points. Migration points are nontransferable.
Migration points are awarded only on purchases made on or after June 6,
1994, except that 2500 migration points will be retroactively awarded
to all customers that purchased the LTCP-9000 package (see VM price
list).
****************************
* Step by step description *
****************************
Unless you have already sent in a purchase order, it will probably be
easier if you ask your management to purchase the workstation version,
and use the resulting migration points on VM support. You will need 2500
points for free support (1250 if you are a beneficiary of the CREN/L-Soft
agreement - see the VM price list). If you do not have enough points, you
will receive a credit for what you have.
So, the step by step approach would be:
1. Purchase a license for the workstation version. You will probably want
to choose one of the introductory packages which include an
indefinite, unlimited license and one year of support.
2. Note the amount of migration points you earned. If you have 2500 or
more (1250 if you are a beneficiary of the CREN/L-Soft agreement),
order free support for your VM code together with the workstation
version. All you need to do is state on your purchase order that you
wish to redeem your points for a free VM support contract. If you do
not have enough points, you will still receive a credit of $1 per
point.
3. If you are also running LMail(TM), we recommend that you also purchase
support for that product. The additional cost, given an existing
LISTSERV support contract, is $825/year ($412.50/year if you are a
beneficiary of the CREN/L-Soft agreement). You cannot use your
migration points here, because you did not purchase LMail(TM) for the
workstation (for the time being, it is only available for VM).
Note: this assumes you already own an indefinite license for the
mainframe version. If not, contact L-Soft sales (SALES@LSOFT.COM) and we
will discuss a suitable arrangement.
*************
* IMPORTANT *
*************
If you are still running version 1.7f on your VM system, you will not be
able to relocate your mail traffic to the workstation unless you upgrade
to a more recent version (ie procure support for VM), or run LISTSERV in
NJE mode on your workstation (which is possible only with the VMS(TM)
version). This is because version 1.7f was released about a year before
LISTSERV-TCP/IP, and is not capable of taking advantage of non-NJE
servers for DISTRIBUTE purposes.
*************************************************************************
****************** General conditions and disclaimers *******************
*************************************************************************
All prices are in US dollars and exclusive of sales or other tax. Unless
indicated otherwise, all prices are guaranteed for a period of one year
from the date hereof (6 June 1994). Package prices and other promotional
prices are guaranteed until their expiration date ("Order before:" in the
package templates). Academic customers include all non-profit
degree-granting organizations of higher education. Other non-profit
organizations may also be eligible; contact L-Soft for more information.
L-Soft International, Inc. ("L-Soft" in this document) does not endorse
or approve the use of any of the product names or trademarks appearing in
this document.
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LMAIL and L-SOFT are trademarks of L-Soft international.
Unix is a registered trademark of UNIX Systems Laboratories, Inc.
VMS is a trademark of Digital Equipment Corporation.
All other trademarks, both marked and not marked, are the property of
their respective owners.
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